Wisp of the Land
by Echoing Fantasy
Summary: AU. When the chief's wife catches the Plague, the chief of the village orders Tsuna to go out into the desert and collect a rare plant to save her life. It's the very same desert where a rogue Elemental was last seen, one said to be very powerful. It's a choice between the death of his parents or chancing the Elemental's wrath, and that's hardly a choice at all. Arcobaleno27.
1. Chapter 1

_Wisp of the Land_

**I: Steppe**

When Tsuna first heard of the rogue Elemental in the desert, his first thought was that the chief would send the Hunters out to deal with it. When a week came and went and no Hunters emerged from their tents to stop the series of disturbances, Tsuna's next thought was that the chief would send the Speakers out, to calm the spirit instead of kill it.

Yet like before, no Speakers emerged from the tents lining the edges of the village. Soothsayers, Mages, Priests, Tamers and more, all were ignored in the following weeks. It didn't help that nobody in the village seemed to have anymore of a clue towards what the chief would do than Tsuna did.

"Do you think they'll send the Disciplinarian Aerial Squad out?"

"Probably not; the chief only uses that in emergencies."

Tsuna frowned, the bag of herbs slung over his shoulder from his day in the forest, and thought perhaps the chief was underestimating the Elemental a little _too _much. Their hatred of humans went far, after all, and once enraged there was no simple method of calming them down. It was why so many nomadic villages like theirs had so many different types of jobs for the next generation to perform.

Choosing a job to take _was_ a job in and of itself, in fact. It was only by the grace of the gods themselves that Tsuna had a natural talent for healing and wielding minor elemental magics. _Very _minor, as he mainly used them for defense and combined healing, for certain creatures or people that had picky bodies. While occasionally he did run into trouble while gathering ingredients to be used in the potions and salves he made, his life was mostly quiet and rather pleasing. He traveled a lot, so his mother was always happy to see him come home even if it was just for a day.

Sometimes he'd cross paths with his father, who was a personal Hunter for the chief, and they'd exchange cordial greetings and such. Tsuna's attitude towards his father was not affectionate by any means; the man was gone for long stretches of time hunting beasts of all sorts to appease their picky and selfish chief, and when he wasn't he often spent his days in the hut with his fellow hunters, drinking and sleeping.

But at the same time the man had not done any harm towards him and his mother, and would check in frequently if he heard Nana or Tsuna had fallen sick or were in trouble. The distance made it impossible to form a working relationship, but not allow hatred or distaste to fester.

Occasionally if he had some free time and they crossed paths he'd help Tsuna gather whatever herbs he needed, particularly if there was a high level of danger involved. He encouraged Tsuna's idea of independence, but didn't want the boy facing more danger than necessary when there were others that could easily face down whatever was waiting for him and would do so without hesitation.

All in all it was a work in progress relationship, and that was one of the factors that prevented Tsuna from lashing out at his father when nearly nine weeks later, the chief called upon Tsuna in the middle of the night.

The chief was an aging portly man called Guts, because as rumors told, he had been incredibly brave as a young warrior. Personally, Tsuna believed he should have been called Stomach, for the large amounts of food he consumed on a daily basis. Guts nodded as he entered the tent and bowed, and it was only as he rose that Tsuna realized his father was standing near the wooden shelves on the far side of the room, dressed in his hunting attire, war paint on his scowling face and his arms crossed in a sign of impatience.

"Approach," Guts called, and Tsuna did so, shooting his father a curious glance as he passed. His father's gazed softened a bit, the scowl fading away in a faint attempt to smile. He nodded just once to Tsuna, and then his eyes landed on Guts and the scowl came back full force. _He's angry at the chief, not at me. Well, at least there's that. But I wonder why?_

"You are Healer Tsunayoshi, are you not?" Guts asked.

Tsuna bowed his head. "I am an apprentice, sire. But yes, I am."

Guts waved the words away, a smirk on his face. "Bah, what difference is between a master and an apprentice? You have surely healed enough people during your fourteen years to be considered a master of your craft, yes? So you are a Healer."

Iemitsu's scowl seemed to get worse, and even Tsuna began to frown lightly. There was a _great deal _of difference between a master and an apprentice in any craft, but the difference was that in healing it meant the difference between life and death. Tsuna knew his skills were inadequate, and while the praise stroked his ego, his logical mind felt disgusted by it. He wanted to learn more, so that when someone called him a master someday, he could actually nod confidently. Senseless praise like this meant only one thing.

_He wants something from me, but what? What have I to offer that others could not give him?_

He found out in the next second as Guts' expression changed from confident to miserable. "I ask a favor of you. No, it is much more fair to say the _village _asks a favor of you, Healer. Medea is sick."

Tsuna's eyes widened, panic digging its claws into his chest. Medea was Guts' wife, a small, frail woman with a face like a horse. She spoke quietly and seemed generally unsure of everything around her. She had also been the one to teach Tsuna how to heal and manage the herbs found in the area, she who had given him his first quest and first map, she who had scolded him when he did wrong and praised him when he got something right. For her to be sick meant something was well and truly wrong, because Medea had always looked after her own health first and foremost so she wouldn't get her patients sick.

"What are her symptoms?" Tsuna asked, slipping into the mindset of a Healer. Silently he prayed that whatever she had could be cured by the herbs he had on hand or could find nearby.

The chief actually seemed taken aback by the question. He began to wring his hands as he listed off the symptoms, and the more he listed the more Tsuna's small hope began to die. _Coughing up blood, feverish, intense abdominal pain, hallucinations, rattling cough... it sounds like-_

"The beginnings of the Plague," Tsuna whispered, closing his eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but all the symptoms were there.

The Plague had been a curse laid down on the land by a horrific monster, or so the stories told. In truth it had come from overseas, when trade between this land and the others had started up. At the time none of the Healers had truly explored the land very well, which meant they hadn't known about the handful of plants capable of taking away some of the Plague's effects. Not all, but some. Over time however, as the Plague had spread and grown, more of the plants had fallen into human hands. Now there were only a scarce few left, and they were in areas unreachable to humans.

The chief nodded, eyes bright. "Yes. My sweet M-Medea. If I lose her, I-I don't know what I'll do! So the village asks you – nay, _demands you _to go out and find the plant that will save her! I've already had my Mages look into it, and they say there's a single plant in the desert nearby. It will take a couple weeks there and back, but it should stop her-"

"A moment," Tsuna said, suddenly realizing what was _wrong _with this situation. "Are you perhaps talking about the desert south of here? Where the _rogue Elemental _is?"

The chief blinked, unaccustomed to being interrupted. He looked peeved. "Yes, I am. What's your point?"

"His point, _sire,_" Iemitsu cut in with a silky voice, "Is that there is a _rogue Elemental _running around. An immensely powerful one, that if my sources are correct, has lived there since the very beginning of that desert's existence. Elementals that old are usually very feral, and want nothing to do with humans."

Guts blinked. "So? Can't you just... sneak around it, or something?"

Iemitsu gritted his teeth, and Tsuna suddenly understood his father's ire with Guts. "Elementals rule the very land in which they are born, _sire,_ which means even if Tsunayoshi were to sneak in from the very borders, so long as a single toe remains in the desert, the Elemental can catch, and indeed will, tear him apart. This is what I was talking about _before, _when I said I could go in his stead!"

Guts' face darkened. "Absolutely not."

"He's not ready to face an Elemental!" Iemitsu cried.

"He's a _Healer. _If he expects to stay in this village, if _you and your wife_ expect to stay in this village, _he_ will go out into the desert, Elemental or not, and collect the plant that will save my wife!"

Iemitsu went white. "Are you _threatening _me?"

"No," Guts crowed smugly, lifting his chin in defiance, "I'm _promising _you." He turned to Tsuna, and the look turned hostile. "Either you collect the plant that will save my wife, or I'll toss your family out of the village and let the fiends have them. And as strong as your father is, he can't do anything when its one of him and ten of _them. _Take your pick, Healer. Your death or theirs."

Tsuna felt cold, colder than he'd ever been before. He knew he was staring at the chief in something close to shock, and he knew that there was rage burrowing itself deep in his belly, because this portly little man was _threatening _Tsuna's family, and Healer or not, that was something he could and would be angry over. But by the same measure, he knew Guts' reputation would give him the push needed to shove them all out of the village. The villagers were much like sheep in that regard, always following the leader.

In the end, there was only one choice.

"I accept," he said, calmer than he felt, and forced down the flash of rage when Guts smirked and his father howled with anger. "I'll get my maps and be gone before dawn."

"Don't take too long," Guts called, a subtle warning in his voice. "Medea's life rests on you returning quickly, _apprentice._"

Tsuna felt proud of himself when he didn't respond to the backhanded barb, only turned and left, his father prowling behind him, a lethal shadow.

As soon as they were clear of the tent, Tsuna turned to the man. "I'm-" he started to apologize, but Iemitsu scowled, shaking his head.

"It's not your fault, Tsunayoshi. I'm sorry you had to see that side of me – and that you have to deal with our coward of a leader. I thought if I was there, he'd see reason, change his mind..." Turning to the nearest dirt cliff, Iemitsu slammed his fist into the rock. Tsuna watched with no small amount of amazement as, with an ominous crackling sound, the cliff crumbled apart, leaving a wide open space behind.

Tsuna sighed, and reached out to touch Iemitsu's arm. "It's not your fault either you know. You did what you could for me."

"But maybe if I had-"

Tsuna shook his head, turning and walking the remaining way to his mother's home. "You know as well as I do that Guts would have found a way to rope me into this eventually, even if you'd blocked him initially. It was just a matter of time. And time is something we don't have. So here's what I need you to do. Go back and take care of Mama. Stay close to her until I get back and this blows over." Grabbing one of the spare leather packs that hung inside their home, he traded it for the loaded one he bore. "I'll come back, mix up the potion, and once I'm sure Medea is in no immediate danger I'll come tell you how it went."

Iemitsu touched his shoulder briefly as he moved to leave. "A moment, please," he asked. Tsuna watched his father turn and dash down the dirt pathway, vanishing into the distance before long. Curious, Tsuna remained where he was. It was only a handful of moments later that his father reappeared, a pale buckskin cloak in his one hand, and a spear in his other.

"I know you aren't a warrior, and I know you don't like fighting," Iemitsu said as he knelt, fastening the cloak around Tsuna's shoulders. It was a size large on him, but Tsuna didn't mind. "But please, take my spear. Even if you can't defeat the Elemental, perhaps you can at least drive it back long enough to escape." And from his own belt he pulled a waterskin, looping the cord around its neck four times around Tsuna's own belt so it would sit snug on his hip. After a small hesitation, his large fighting knife was also removed and placed on the other hip.

"Stay safe, Tsunayoshi," Iemitsu begged, touching his forehead to his son's in farewell. "And come back to us as soon as you can. I don't want to tell your mother we've lost a son because of me."

"She won't blame you, because it won't be your fault. She'll blame Guts, and then she'll tell Medea, and she'll blame him too." Wrapping his arms around Iemitsu's large shoulders in the first hug he'd ever given his father, Tsunayoshi willed the other to understand his feelings. "I'll be back in a week, two at the most with the plant. And if you want, after the potion is done and Medea is better, I'll sit down and tell you everything that happened while I was gone."

"Everything?" Iemitsu asked, pulling back. He looked scared, Tsuna thought. Scared and vulnerable.

"Every last detail. I'll even retell it afterward, if that's what you want. So please, don't worry about me." Patting his shoulder, Tsuna shouldered his bag and headed for the path that would take him out of the village. He resisted the urge to look back as he passed the outer gate, the nearby grazing sheep raising their heads to watch him go. A couple of lambs ran up to him as he passed, butting their heads against his thigh in a demand to be petted. He smiled and scratched behind their ears, relishing in their trust of him. When he started to move again they called out to him and tried to keep up, but before long they returned to the herd, uncomfortable with being so far out.

The smells and sounds of the village faded away, replaced with the chirping and buzzing of bugs, the swish of his sandals against the grass, and the occasional call of a night bird in the distance. In a way, the sounds were comforting, because it meant even this far out the world still worked the same. But beneath the veneer of similarity, there lurked an undercurrent of darkness. The hairs on the back of his neck gradually began to stand the further he went.

Soon the sounds of the fiends replaced the sounds of the natural land, and Tsuna found himself crouching low, moving through the thick brush at a snail's pace. It was never a good idea to go out at night, since the monsters that occupied the area were usually larger and meaner than their day-walking counterparts. But he couldn't stay in the village and wait for them to go away or for things to get easier. He was already on a tight enough schedule as it was – even the smallest delay might be fatal for him.

Eventually the thickets and the dense foliage began to thin, and he found hard rock under his feet and open spaces around him. Faint hissing reached his ears, gradually growing louder and more numerous in tone the further out of the forest he came. The path beneath his feet seemed to dip all at once, and Tsuna found himself at the edge of familiar terrain, looking down into a vast covering of slithering, coiling bodies and bright glowing yellow, red or orange eyes. With the full moon high overhead, it was easy to see just how many serpents there were in a single crater – and just how many craters were scattered across what seemed like an endless, vast openness.

Cries from overhead had him ducking, and suddenly shadows swooped down from on high; the snakes rearing up, fangs poised to defend their fellows as falcons nearly three times as large as Tsuna himself dove down, talons reaching into the nests to snatch at any serpent that seemed vulnerable. Twenty birds dove, and amid the mass of feathers and scales Tsuna saw two fall, grabbed by the larger serpents and dragged down to be devoured, while five rose high, the dangling carcasses of the unfortunate snakes in their claws. The others flew away, still hungry and now even more desperate.

The ravine was a virtual battleground between the two predators, and with its high, steep walls and lack of handholds anywhere in immediate sight Tsuna knew the only way he would be getting across was to move forward, directly into both predator's line of sight. The very thought had shivers caressing his spine and his stomach dropping down near his knees. He longed to balk, to turn and run for the safety of home, but the memory of his father's expression, of Gut's promise to oust them from the village, had him setting his jaw in tense determination, fists clenching as he took the first step forward.

* * *

Years later, he would come to see this as the first – the first, though certainly not the last – moment in his life that he risked it all to help someone else who needed it. It was the first time he prioritized another's life over his own, and pushed against the obstacles that were stacked against him – obstacles too high for most to reach, let alone overcome.

But he had inherited his mother's stubborn nature, and his father's drive to do anything he put his mind to, regardless of how crazy it seemed in the end. And so he pushed on.

* * *

Tsunayoshi stumbled out of the ravine just as the sun began to rise on the distant horizon, shards of pink splintering across the sky, followed by a wave of eventual blue. His legs and arms were covered in bloody bite marks from where he'd been tagged by the snakes as he'd crossed the vast paths, and his shoulders were shredded from the great talons that come from above. He'd protected his face and neck as best he could, and paid a price for that protection. He had attempted to push some of the larger snakes away with his father's spear, only to give that up rather quickly; any movement with the spear seemed to only enrage the snakes further, and make their bite that much more painful.

Now as he left he tore his shirt into shreds and used the shreds to bind the greater wounds on his shoulders, gritting as he tied them into place. He legs shook but continued to hold him, and he moved on, knowing that in a matter of a few hours he'd hit a town, or a village, or even just a small place to rest. That was one thing the humans had gotten very good at after the Plague – spacing the towns out evenly, so that if there was ever a dire need for help, it could be reached in the same amount of time no matter which way one chose to go. If it took two days between towns in one direction, it would take the same amount of time in another direction, assuming he was still traveling on foot by then. (God he hoped not.)

As it was, it took him nearly four hours in the increasing heat before he reached a small settlement where an old woman stood as Healer. Assisted by two stable boys that had been outside at the time, Tsuna was moved into her quarters for an examination.

"You're very lucky," she scolded him as she cleaned his smaller wounds with a basin of hot water and soap, "None of those snakes seemed to used their poison. If they had, you'd be dead about three times over by now. Where are you coming from, and perhaps more importantly, where are you going?"

"To the desert," he told her, hissing as the cold grasp of a protection spell wrapped around his legs like a blanket of ice, "I'm coming from the steppes just west of here. My chief has asked me to fetch a rare plant. He needs it for his wife." He didn't mention the Plague, or even the Elemental. No need to start involving innocent bystanders in his problems.

The old woman clicked her tongue. "That desert is cursed, boy. There's a rumor of a mean fiend taking up residence in those lands. Normally I'd tell you to avoid it, but from what I've seen you aren't the type to back off from something like that. I don't know what plant you're looking for, but I sincerely hope you find it. But do yourself a favor, yes? When you _do _make the return trip, try to go through that ravine during the day. The snakes are much sweeter than – too busy sunning themselves to give a hoot about a human walking around them. The birds might give you a bit of trouble, but not if you're fast."

"I can be fast," Tsuna said as he pushed himself to his feet, mouth set in a grim line. He lowered his voice to a murmur, talking more to himself than the old woman now. "I don't have a choice, anymore."

She clucked her tongue again. "Let's hope so. I'll be praying for your life, and for an easy road ahead of you." She helped him gather his things back up, and provided him with a new shirt since the old one was ruined.

Tsuna smiled at her, but there was nothing but darkness in it. "I thank you, Healer. Now if you'll excuse me, I must press on. I've wasted enough time."

Before he left, the old woman had one of the boys who had brought him in give him several torches, two jars of oil, steel and flint, and refill both his water and his food packs, though he'd only been traveling a day. She waved him out of the village, and watched him go until he was too far see as anything more than a speck.

Turning, she shook her head and moved back inside. _That poor boy. I hope he finds what he's looking for. _

At the last moment, one of the boys who had carried the newcomer in turned to her. "Ma'am? Perhaps we should have given him a horse?"

_Ah, I knew I was forgetting something._

* * *

Author's Notes

I present to you _Wisp of the Land, _a new series that will be I-have-no-idea-how-long and updated whenever I can get around to it. I just had a lot of desire to write last night, so I pretty much got this first chapter finished up in a timely manner. I still intend to get TSL finished first, and Unspoken done after, but every now and again I may throw a chapter of this story up for you guys to read if it strikes my fancy.

Also, hisoku-no-sora has already done fanart for it, just from the preview I gave. It's beautifully done, and should certainly be appreciated. Please give it a gander if you've got a moment, and perhaps consider keeping an eye on them. They have a very nice, clean drawing style that's worth it. /promotes

Comments, questions, concerns, leave them behind and I'll get them as I can.


	2. Chapter 2

**II: Desert**

"_The Aegyls – later called the Elementals at the beginning of the fourth era. Beings of strange power and appearance, thought to be molded from the flesh of the gods themselves in ancient times. Gifted with strength and wisdom far beyond that of a human, they ruled alongside the native people for a time. Man once sought to control these beings for themselves, but when they proved unyielding and immovable, they sought to destroy them. In rage the Aegyls did rise as one to strike back at the humans, and in such rage was their hatred for all mankind born."_

Tsuna let out a breath as the paragraph ended, the one after immediately going back into talking about the Fourth Age of Humans. Closing the book, he slid the thick tome back onto the shelf and tried not to give in to the urge to thump his head against one of the sharper edges of the shelf in frustration. After he'd gotten patched up by the Healer in the second town, he'd continued on until he hit the next settlement, which he'd managed to do before it got dark again.

The people had welcomed him well enough, offering him a bit of food and a place to sleep in exchange for any word of the current events going on and any potentially interesting stories. Tsuna had gladly delivered both, and then gone to sleep for a bit. Only three hours later he'd woken from a dead sleep with the thought that perhaps one of the town's mages would provide some further information on what he was facing. That in turn, had led him here, to the only Mage who happened to carry some old books with her. She'd been happy to let him rummage around so long as he put everything back, and had even helped him narrow his search down once he told her what he was looking for.

So far, all he knew from his search was that the Elementals had once been called Aegyls, and that man's lust for power had been what caused the rift between the two – which Tsuna had more or less guessed by himself. There were only so many reasons powerful beings would hate humans like they did if they had once lived alongside them with no problems, and greed was usually one of the top causes. A lot of stories and old myths revolved around that sort of thing, either that or outright hatred of a species for some ridiculous thing like appearance or living methods.

A soft noise behind him had him turning as the light of a lantern bobbed closer. The Mage, a cute, pixie-like girl named Kyoko, smiled at him. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"I'm afraid not," he told her. When she made a noise of distress, he quickly added, "Humans haven't been around Elementals a lot, so its not like I'd find anything useful. I can find out all I want about the war because we were there, but we don't really understand the rest, y'know?"

"I suppose," she agreed, still seeming a bit down. She liked helping people, and it seemed to upset her whenever someone walked out lacking whatever he or she had come in to find. "Although, maybe..." An idea suddenly seemed to occur to her, and she rushed from the room, taking the light with her. Tsuna stumbled after her, keeping his hands on the shelves to prevent him from running into anything.

He found her in the room in the back, thumbing through a small white book with the word _Contacts _on it. Her mouth moved soundlessly as she did, and eventually her finger stopped to jab at something in one of the pages. "Got it."

"Got what?" Tsuna asked, successfully startling her. He tried not to smile impishly at the little squeak she emitted upon being startled. She was quick to regain her wits though, and moved towards him with the book.

"I know a couple of people in Orcos who might be able to help you find what you need – they're much older than I am, so they'll probably have better knowledge of this than I will. And if they don't, then the library they have most certainly should. The only thing about that though is you need someone to vouch for you to get into it."

"Why?" Knowledge was free, as far as Tsuna knew.

"A few years ago they had a splurge of crimes in the area where a lot of the books concerning illegal magics were stolen, so they locked the library down and made it so that only those that were vouched for by someone who had been inside the library and knew them well enough could get inside. The crimes stopped after that, and once the King sent his guards out to investigate the matter, the books were returned and the criminals were apprehended."

"Goodness, that sounds troublesome," he muttered. How was he supposed to get in there? If this lead came to a dead end as well, that library would probably end up being his best shot.

Kyoko smiled at him kindly. "It's really not. If you have to go there, you can use my name. I've been there a couple times, and while I can't say I really _know _you, I _can _safely say you aren't a bad person, and you're not going to use whatever you find for evil."

"Thank you."

"Mmhm. Here you are then." She handed him a slip of paper with names and locations on it. "Those two addresses should help you out. Hopefully the people there will know more than I do. Is there anything else you need?"

Tsuna shook his head. This was turning out better than he could have hoped. "Thank you so much, Miss Sasagawa. I honestly don't know how to repay you for this."

"Just get that plant and help the woman out. That will be payment enough."

He exited the shop feeling better than before, and blinked into the early morning light. Had he really spent all night inside the shop? It had felt only like an hour or two, but then again anything could happen when he had his nose buried in a book. Shifting his bag on his shoulder a big, and tucking his father's cloak closer around him for warmth, he went to thank the leader of the town for housing him before continuing on his way.

As he neared the house though, he spotted something large and white out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, his stomach did a slight dip as he took in the slight of his mother's messenger birds, Spot and Dot, sitting on a nearby fence post, watching him. Between them sat a rolled-up sheet of paper. While Tsuna had considered leaving a note for his mother, or writing her to tell her of his progress, something in him had refused at the idea. Maybe it was the knowledge that even with one hand missing, she was still the best archer their village had, and could sometimes be rather... scary when it came to him.

Both birds looked up at him as he drew near, and as one extended the legs the post was tied on. They were Sagebrush Sparrows, and while not very big, Nana had taught them to move in synchronization when delivering messages, to make it easier on them. She had come across their eggs while on a hunt – the rest of the eggs had been smashed by careless Hunters, and the mother had been brought down by one of Nana's own arrows. So she had taken them in and raised them, and they repaid her by delivering messages and letting her see any chicks they raised.

"Hello guys," he greeted them as he reached for the string tied around their legs, fingers shaking oh-so-slightly. "Thanks for bringing this. If you'll wait a minute, I've got a reply you can carry back."

Whether they were intelligent enough to understand him, he would never know. But they stayed put for the moment, perhaps sensing his need for them. Taking a deep breath, he undid the string and let the letter open. It was curt, but not scolding in any sense.

_**Tsunayoshi,**_

_**Your father has told me of what's occurred. If you intend to head south, pay a visit to the library of Orcos. You will require someone to vouch for you to enter – use my name and tell them you're my son. They'll let you in.**_

_**I'd tell you I'm not angry over this situation, but I'd be lying. Instead, I'll tell you that you've done absolutely nothing wrong. I'm not angry at you or Iemitsu. I'm proud to call you my son, and wish you a swift and easy journey there and back.**_

_**With love,**_

_**Nana.**_

Throat constricting, Tsuna reached up to swipe at the beginning of tears. The relief he felt over his mother's letter was almost physical, and he couldn't help laughing when Dot jumped on top of his head and began to groom his hair, perhaps realizing he needed some comfort. He only laughed harder when Spot joined in, and it was only when the two began to bicker over who got to groom him where that he batted them away. They returned to their post, looking smug.

Tsuna meanwhile, dug in his bag for the charcoal pencil he always kept with him, and hastened to write a response.

_**Mother,**_

_**Thank you for telling me this. It relieves me to know that you're not mad at me. I wish this situation hadn't arisen at all really, that Medea hadn't fallen sick, but now that it has there's little I can do. I'm looking for ways to keep you and father safe, in case things end badly and I'm unable to recover the plant, or make it back. I won't have you falling to the fiends Guts is so ready to toss us to. **_

_**I promise you, I'll think of something. Ask Father if he knows of any of the Hunters down here – I may be able to speak to them and see if they have room for you and him down here. As for the library, I will most certainly be visiting it. One of the Mages in these parts, a Miss Kyoko Sasagawa, has already given me two other names that may be of use, and has offered her own name for vouching purposes if I do need it. Hopefully I'll write back soon with good news.**_

_**With love, **_

_**Tsunayoshi**_

He rolled the message up so that Nana's note would display on the outside, and then re-tied it to Spot and Dot's legs. "Take it back to mother, okay?"

The two took off seconds later, the note dangling down between them as they flew. Tsuna watched them go until they vanished into the horizon, and then turned back to the task at hand. There were still two towns between him and Orcos, and the way to Orcos was much longer than the rest of the towns due to its sheer size. He'd been planning to bypass it and start heading south here, but with this new bit of information there was a possibility that the lost travel time would be worth it. He'd have to hurry though, because he wasn't sure Guts would let him stay out even a day longer than the two weeks he'd promised.

After thanking the leader for his kindness, Tsuna all but ran to the gate leading out. However, one of the Hunters stopped him and offered him use of a small, stocky horse that they had been meaning to sell. When he offered to send it back to them, the man merely shook his head. "Keep him. You'll find better use for him than we will."

The horse was dun-colored with black socks, mane and tail. Although the men sitting around had cautioned Tsuna on his tendency to buck and try to bite, the horse made no such moves when he came near. It stuck its nose directly into Tsuna's chest and gave several long sniffs, as if to memorize the scent. After a moment he pulled away, snorted, and let Tsuna saddle him without complaint.

"I'm sorry to do this on our first meeting," Tsuna apologized as he hefted himself up into the saddle, grimacing at the feeling. He preferred riding bareback. "But I need you to take me to Orcos as fast as you can. I promise I'll buy you whatever you want when I'm done with my business there, in exchange."

He didn't think the horse would agree, but its ears pricked forward in interest, and he began to walk forward. By the time they hit the gates, the horse had gone into a full-out sprint, Tsuna leaning forwards clutching to the reins.

* * *

Two days later, Tsuna arrived at Orcos. Considering a normal day's travel would have taken him five days, it was quite the cut back. The horse hadn't slowed down or stopped, even when his skin began to froth white under the saddle, and he'd begun to stagger, his head lowered as sweat ran off him, his breath labored. Tsuna had tried to pull him to a stop, but that hadn't worked either. He considered the horse might very well run himself to death, but they'd reached the city only an hour later, and he'd hastily dismounted and gotten his tired darling into a proper stable, rubbing him down and feeding him himself. When Tsuna had left he'd seemed content, if not a little sleepy, thought the boy had still given him a pat for being so sweet and left to find what he'd come looking for.

Orcos was one of the biggest towns on the plains, and as such it offered many shops and commodities not found in the other towns. It attracted a lot of people, from those like Tsuna who were on quests, to those who were seeking fame, fortune, or just a little bit of difference from their everyday routine. It was the closest thing they had to matching the larger cities up north, where the King and the royals sat. Crowds of people ran thick through the streets, and for once Tsuna found a blessing in his slight body type, because it gave him the ability to slip between people instead of being stalled. It didn't take him long to find the place he was looking for – the library stood vast surrounded by buildings like it was, the King's flags flying high over the top of it. Two guards stood on either side of the door, watching the crowds like hawks looking for an easy meal. Their gaze moved to Tsuna as he walked up, the paper clutched in his hand.

"Halt in the name of the King," One ordered brusquely as he neared. Tsuna immediately drew to a stop, well-aware from the rumors alone of just how deadly the King's men were with their weapons. "What is your name?"

"Sawada Tsunayoshi. I come on the recommendation of Kyoko Sasagawa of Ebi Town, and Nana Sawada of Tuskle. May I be allowed entrance?"

The two guards exchanged glances. One stepped forward and offered out his hand. "The papers to prove your vouching, if you would."

He willingly handed them over. The guard examined them at length, and then handed them to his friend. He too, examined the papers closely. Eventually they were handed back, and the door was unlocked. "Everything checks out. You may pass, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Welcome to Orcos."

"Thank you." Bowing to them as was custom, Tsuna hurried inside, shivering as the heat of the outside world vanished. The library was made of stone, built much more solid than anything else Orcos had to offer. The only wooden things in the entirety of the library were the shelves, and that was only because the builders had run out of stone. The books were all listed by subject; History, Fine Arts, the like. The History section was smaller than most, simply because there weren't a lot of things worth telling about the humans. The King had ordered that only noteworthy wars and events were to be published in the history books, so they wouldn't end up with books full of nothing but empty air.

Personally, Tsuna appreciate the gesture because it meant that events like the Aegyl-Human war would probably crop up more. Assuming that there hadn't been a corrupt king that refused to let the truth run its course ruling at the time of the event. He pulled one of the first books down off the shelf and began to thumb through it, running down its list of contents rather quickly. When that one yielded nothing, he set it to one side and reached for the next one.

And so it went, long into the night.

* * *

Eventually, Tsuna found what he was looking for. The very last book in the grouping held what he wanted to know – and the pictures painted by the book was just as grim as he imagined it to be. The war had been bloody and cruel, both sides taking heavy casualties, although the Aegyls had suffered more post-war than the humans had, simply because their kind was not the type to gather together and work to rebuild their world.

Most had returned to the heavens, which was where the Aegyls had first come from, but some of the older, more wounded ones had been forced to hide on earth, taking refuge in areas where their powers were strong enough to meld with the world's natural energies. That was what allowed the Aegyls to rule an area like the one in the desert did – the magics became so intertwined with the energies the Aegyl became _part _of the world itself. And that was why Tsuna could not afford to be careless. The older the Aegyl, the stronger that energy became, and the more the territory could expand. An Aegyl as old as the one in the desert could probably expand his or her territory to encompass the desert and at least half the towns in the nearby area, including Tsuna's own, if it so chose. But some preferred not to, or at least according to the book. Some wanted smaller territories, because it meant less to guard, and less to worry about. Somehow, that didn't seem right to Tsuna. After all, these were beings that descended from the heavens itself, molded by the gods. What did beings like that know of the human sin of laziness, of a lackluster drive to do anything but sit still and let the world pass by? It just didn't fit the picture Tsuna had in his mind of these beings.

He closed the book and rubbed his forehead. A migraine not unlike the ones he got when confronting a particularly stubborn sickness nagged at him, and he found himself wishing he'd brought a stalk of redweed along – chewing on the tough plant cured headaches. Despite having only been running around for a few days, he felt very tired. Stress played a large part in that, but there was nothing he could do about the stress until the events themselves played out and he could see the end of this path clearly. Lifting himself up off the floor, he looked at the piles of books around him and sighed. One more thing to clean up before he left.

He left the library to find the sun well into the sky, and people bustling around just like they had the day before. He yawned, a wave of exhaustion taking over him. He'd spent the whole day and night awake, and now desperately wanted to sleep. He couldn't though, not with time ticking down like it was. He needed to get treats for his horse (who he still needed to name), and then go about finding a weapon smith that would supply him with hunting equipment.

The book had spoken about humans offering sacrifices in the old days in order to pass an area that an Aegyl dominated. It had even had a listing of known Aegyl's and their preferred diet – evidently an effort had been made at some point to help humans better get to know the other half. And then that effort had been destroyed by greed, and the war had prevented the list from ever being updated. The list told him that the Aegyl in the desert preferred meat – bloody, raw, and fresh.

The list hadn't given names, only locations. But it _had _provided him with a manner of speaking to the Aegyl, since their own method of speaking was different from that of a human's. Terms and emotions that came naturally to humans were lost on them, and a conversation could end very messily if one didn't use the correct phrasing or tone of voice. It was like a dance, in a way, except the promise of death loomed constantly if you didn't get the steps just right.

There were three different weapon smiths in town; the first two supplied heavy arms and war equipment, since the soldiers for the King sometimes had to travel far to get what they needed, and Orcos was cheaper than the other places, even if their equipment wasn't as strong. They both pointed him in the direction of the third smith, who sold light weaponry made for the Rangers, Aerial Defense and Scouting Legion for the King. All the things that require bows, arrows, daggers and short swords.

The man who ran the shop and crafted the bows was named Gaspare, or G as he asked Tsuna to call him. "Gaspare's a mouthful. Just G is fine."

"Alright, G then. I need some light hunting equipment."

G cocked an eyebrow, but didn't question it. "What sort of hunting do you have in mind? Birds, deer?"

Tsuna licked his lips. He hadn't actually considered what kind of animal to bring the Aegyl. But considering the location he was going to... bigger would probably be better. "Deer, wild hogs, medium to large animals."

G's eyes met his own, and the man seemed to _know. _"Heading to talk to the Aegyl in the desert, are you?"

So they'd even heard about it in Orcos. "Yeah. I don't suppose you'd know-?"

G turned to his bows, picking one up in his hand and testing the weight before shaking his head and putting it back down. "He's got a taste for deer, cattle – as you said, large animals. The problem with it is his taste is too exotic, and most of the sacrifices that would put you in his good favor would take at least a week and a half to track down. Add in the fact you need it _fresh, _and well..." He made a jerking shrug with his shoulder. "It's not a good combo. You're the first to attempt it since Luce."

"Luce?"

"She was a Summoner for the King a few years back. She was one of the last people to commune actively with the Aegyls, including the one in the desert. She passed away during childbirth though, and her daughter Aria, doesn't believe in associating with, and here I quote, 'monsters'." He turned back around, a bow in his hand. "Let me see your hand. Dominant."

The bow felt slightly odd in his hand. Odd, but not uncomfortable. G helped him position it correctly, and after a minute of circling him, nodded. "How's it feel?"

"Strange, but not uncomfortable."

"Good. Now, let's fine you some equipment and arrows. You traveling on foot?"

"I've got a horse."

"Regular or Mongol?"

Tsuna cocked his head. "Mongol?"

"Mongolian. Rare breed around here nowadays, but some of the bloodline is still circulating. Kind of roundish horse, big-looking belly, runs really well."

That sounded like his horse. "I think I have a Mongol. I just got him from the last town over as a gift, so..."

"Take me out to him then. I'll tell you what he is."

G's desire to see his horse gave Tsuna a chance to give the loyal steed his treats. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as his ears perked up. The horse certainly _looked _better. "Sorry for the wait. Here you go." The horse didn't even so much as glance at G, although his ear twitched towards the sound of the man's voice as he ate.

"He's a Mongol alright. Not pure – some of him looks to be a cross. Don't know what they crossed him with, but it looks good, whatever it was. You're lucky – looks like he's already been broken in and everything. He run fast?"

"He got me here in two days instead of the five it normally would have taken."

G whistled. "Sounds like you've got a loyal one. Or a stubborn one. Most horses wouldn't do that; although its rumored the Mongols were trained for endurance over speed, so maybe that's it."

"And you said he's a crossbreed – maybe his mother was a fast runner."

"Hm, possibly." G shrugged. "Anyway, now that I know what mount you've got, we can head back to the shop and I can get you equipped properly."

It took another solid hour before Tsuna had everything he would need. G had unrolled some maps he had, and Tsuna now had an idea of how fast he'd have to move if he wanted to get a suitable sacrifice for the Aegyl, make it to the desert before the meat went bad, and then get the plant and get back home before his time limit was up. If he pushed the horse as fast as it could go, he'd make it with a few precious hours to spare – a very daunting limit. But it would have to be done, simply because there was no other way.

After thanking G and giving him a nice extra bit of coin for all his help, Tsuna headed out the opposite way he'd come, going to the north instead of the south. There were rich grasslands and a nice forest he could take advantage of to get the meat, and from there it would be a bat-out-of-hell ride to the desert, where Tsuna would have to hope that his sacrifice and manners would be enough to sway the Aegyl.

And if not...

Well, at least he could say his father's knife and spear would be put to good use.

* * *

Author's Notes

The term _aegyl_ comes from me mixing the words _aegis, _an object of uncertain nature found in the Iliad carried by both Hera and Zeus (although said to be an animal skin or shield), and _angel, _a being of divine origin with wings. It's not from Final Fantasy, although I did facepalm when I realized that yes, that term had already been used by someone else. I kind of wanted to change it, but fuck it, it works.

Second chapter of this comes out before the next chapter of TSL because TSL is giving me all sorts of shit. And rather then spend day after day beating on the trouble child, I decided to give WotL a chance to shine. Because people like it. And I like spoiling people. So there.

The Mongolian horse breed is very real, and is the breed most used by people of the nomadic nature. They're kind of funny-looking for a horse, but they're a pretty good breed from what I've read of them. There is no real timeline for when this story takes place – my headcanon is that Earth got hit by viruses and all kinds of nasty things (WWIII was most certainly a thing) and so some creatures mutated while others stayed the same or simply evolved a bit. That's what the fiends are – mutations. So its kind of fantasy-ish while still having some real world tie-ins. I don't know. Think whatever you want.

Comments, questions, concerns, leave them behind and I'll get to them as I can.


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